Spartans Take Two on Senior Day

Apr 25, 2012

YORK, Pa. - The York College softball team bounced back into action on a beautiful Wednesday afternoon in York, celebrating Senior Day with two wins against the Shorewomen of Washington College, 4-3 and 7-2 respectively. Senior pitcher Brittany Therres and senior shortstop Brittany Schlorff, proved key in the Spartans' doubleheader triumph as York improves to 13-21 overall while the Shorewomen fall to 18-17.

Game one was a heated battle all the way to the end. Washington was on the board first in the second inning with a Brittany Walter single to bring teammate Kristin Cooper to the plate. York answered back in the bottom of the frame with a double from Vanessa Mendez that brought in Erin O'Leary to tie it up at 1-1 through two.

After a quiet third, fourth, and fifth, big plays erupted later in the game. In the top of the sixth inning with a Washington runner on third and one out, Shaelan Nottingham ripped a liner toward right that would have brought in the go-ahead run. However, alert second baseman Katie Wickert snagged the liner before it flew into right field to keep the score level. Following Wickert's play, with a runner still on third and now two outs, Mendez made a tremendous lunging grab coming toward the plate on a pop-up in foul territory to corral the third out of the inning.

The game was extended into one extra frame with the eighth inning being more than enough. In the top of the eighth, Washington put two runs on the board courtesy of a Kylie Nottingham double. With two outs and runners on first and second, Lauren Dockrill knocked a liner toward short. A tremendous leap from Schlorff at short snagged the liner and kept the Shorewomen from creating more damage in the eighth – a play that would prove vital to the Spartan victory.

Taking the game to the bottom of the eight, York would put together a three-run effort to capture the win. With runners at second and third and nobody out, Therres knocked a single to right center to plate Schlorff and move Cara Rubinaccio to third. After pinch runner Sarah Harris swiped second, O'Leary followed Therres' effort with a right centerfield single of her own to bring in Rubinaccio and push Harris over to third. After two Spartan outs, Mendez proved the hero as she singled down the left field line to bring home Harris for the game's winning run.

Brittany Therres collected the win with 8 innings pitched giving up nine hits and three runs after facing 33 batters.

Mendez led the Spartans in hitting for the game after going 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Game two saw York register a 7-2 triumph. The Spartans hit the board first with a run in the bottom of the second as a ground out by O'Leary to brought Harris to the dish. They struck again in the bottom of the third inning with a single by Rubinaccio to drive in Hannah Hugel, making it 2-0 Spartans.

Washington got on the board in the fifth, slicing York's lead in half, after a single by Nottingham to left center brought in Christine Anderson. York had a solid answer in the bottom of the frame however, tallying three more runs to take a 5-1 advantage after five complete.

York continued to put more runs on the board into the sixth inning, adding two more off hits from Sara Thacker and Rubinaccio.

With the 7-2 victory, Therres added another win to her pitching career making her 12-13 for the season. The senior hurler pitched 5.1 innings allowing six hits and two runs with three strikeouts.

Therres also continued her great performance on Senior Day with a solid 4-4 at bat with one RBI.

York returns to action on Friday at Shenandoah for a double header with the Horents. Game one first pitch is slated for 5:00 pm.

Game story written by Kyle Gurganious - York College (Pa.) Athletic Communications Practicum Student.